


The Orange Lake

by Eylle9



Series: Febuwhump 2021 [9]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Canonical Character Death, F/M, FebuWhump2021, Natasha Romanov Is Not A Robot, Tony Stark Has A Heart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-11
Updated: 2021-02-11
Packaged: 2021-03-17 15:27:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,129
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29352696
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eylle9/pseuds/Eylle9
Summary: Febuwhump Day #11 Prompt: IllusionsThe Infinity Stones brought the ones who snapped their fingers to an orange world one by one, to see a lost friend for the last time.
Relationships: Bruce Banner/Natasha Romanov, Natasha Romanov & Tony Stark
Series: Febuwhump 2021 [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2135274
Comments: 2
Kudos: 12





	The Orange Lake

**Author's Note:**

> I was not so sure but I hope this can be counted as illusions.

_“Everybody comes home.”_

Bruce tucked his hand in the Infinity Gauntlet. The raw power of the stones caused Bruce to fall to one knee in overwhelming anguish. He heard Thor, Tony, and Steve’s voices. He told them he was okay while nodding, trying to assure all of them he could do it. He was shouting, the hurt unbearable. Then he snapped his fingers and all of the voices around him got mixed into each other. One would think it would get brighter when someone fainted, but the only colour Bruce was able to see was orange. He looked around the orange lake and spotted the redhead.

“Nat?” He asked, disbelievingly.

“Hi, Bruce.” She greeted him. The same words they told each other five years ago, the day Thanos snapped his fingers.

Bruce wanted to go and hug her and never leave her side once again, but he couldn’t even move. The shock locked his muscles, he thought she would not be coming back.

“How are you here?” He asked instead. “Where even are we?”

“I don’t know, Bruce. I jumped, so Clint could take the stone. Now I’m here.” Natasha walked up to him.

“Did you do it?” She asked.

“Yes,” Bruce answered. Natasha hugged him, just like she read his mind. Bruce returned the hug. He couldn’t explain how much he missed it, missed _her_.

“So everyone is back?” Natasha asked, with nothing but hope in her voice.

“I don’t know, I snapped my fingers then I was here.” Natasha nodded.

“Let’s go Nat, or Thor might do something he might regret. Clint said something about a red man, he also misses you a lot, everyone does.” Natasha’s smile faltered, now there was only sadness behind what the hope left.

“Nat?”

“I’m not coming with you Bruce, I can’t. The stone needed a sacrifice, so I made one.” Natasha’s eyes were filled with tears, her voice soft, yet almost apologetic.

“There must be a way that no one dies...” Bruce said desperately.

“We have no choice.”

“You were the one who told me to never say never.”

“I remember but this is my choice, Bruce. Sometimes the only option we ever have is an ultimatum. It’s okay. I’m going to be okay. Just make sure everyone is okay for me.” Natasha didn’t say you need to let me go, but it was written in her expression.

“I will,” Bruce vowed, breathing his promise into her red hair.

After, they kissed, for what would be the last time.

Natasha looked around this time. “You are about to run out of time,” Natasha said. “The sun is getting really low.” She said, like the old times.

“I adore you, Natasha,” Bruce said this time as he hugged her tightly.

Bruce’s view got blurry whereas he started to hear the mixed voices of his teammates again, but Natasha’s voice suppressed them for one last time.

_I loved you always, I always will._

Bruce woke up and held Steve’s hand.

“Did it work?” He asked, looking at Steve and Thor while Tony was freezing his injured hand.

“We are not sure, it’s okay,” was the answer Thor gave him. Fortunately, Clint’s phone rang. When he opened it Bruce heard the name Laura and understood that it worked. He felt lucky to see Natasha for the last time, even though it might have been just an illusion of the stones.

____________________________________

_“And.. I… am… Iron-Man.”_

Tony said looking into Thanos’ eyes fearlessly while snapping his fingers.

He was able to take a few steps even as the power of the stones left him drained of all energy, struggling for mere breaths.

He saw Rhodey first, but he didn’t hear his voice. His eyes, however, they told the whole story. Maybe it was the ability to understand that was gained after long years of friendship. It was a look that said so many things at once.

 _I know_ was the first thought that came to one’s mind.

 _Don’t leave us_ was the obvious one.

The gentle touch on his face meant kindness, companionship, love and so much more…

Then it was Peter in front of him, the kid he lost, the kid he missed, the kid who came back. He told him many things, that they won, that he was sorry. He heard him begging, he heard his cries, he saw the desperate face. He couldn’t say anything.

And lastly, it was Pepper, the love of his life who assured him that they were going to be okay, who held herself together as the strong woman she was.

 _You can rest now._ were the last words he heard before closing his eyes and opening them again to an orange world.

“Mr. Stark,” A voice said behind him.

“Agent Romanoff,” He answered, he didn’t need to see her face to know who he was talking to. Grinning, he spun around. “I didn’t think you would miss me that much to come and say hi, Tony.” The bickering between them reminded him of the old times. It felt good.

“I would be lying if I say I didn’t miss you. Is this a spy secret of yours? You made everyone miss you in less than a day.” Natasha smiled, it was a broken one but still a smile. Those were the smiles of warriors, smiles that held weight behind them, and Natasha had been the greatest warrior Tony ever had the pleasure of knowing.

“Not one that I’m aware of.” The silence took over till Natasha read the thoughts on Tony's mind.

“There was no other way, Tony.” Natasha tried to assure Tony it was okay.

“There was no other way,” Tony repeated. Dr. Strange was right, the galaxy could be safe only with the sacrifices they made.

“You won’t be leaving then,” Natasha said. An old habit made it easier for her to read the meanings behind the words.

“It seems like it.”

“Did you bring everyone back?” She asked the question she wanted to ask since the beginning. The one she asked Bruce before.

“Yes.” The tears fell through Natasha’s cheeks, they were not because of sadness. Natasha let herself feel the happiness she denied for the last five years. Those tears meant that happiness, the one she felt for everyone who came back.

“We did it.” Tony nodded, the same tears falling through his cheeks with the same meaning.

Natasha took Tony’s arm like they used to do. The two friends walked on the orange lake, peacefully. There were small smiles on the two heroes’ faces.

They disappeared from eyesight a few minutes later. However, their legacies would live with the people they saved, with the people they _avenged._

Sometimes for winning the battles, heroes die, but they live in their family's memories.

**Author's Note:**

> [Crazyinfj’s Tumblr! (aka the beta)](http://crazyinfj.tumblr.com/)
> 
> [Eylle9’s Tumblr! (aka the writer)](https://tumblr.com/blog/eylle9)


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